In 1990 a re-crush plant was commissioned introducing an additional diamond recovery stage and in 1995 a fourth stream expansion project to increase ore treatment by one-third and
carat output by more than 20% was completed.
Production guidance1 is revised to ~31 million
carats, the lower end of the previous range (31-33 million
carats), in response to weaker trading conditions experienced in the period.
In line with the Company's strategy of becoming a leading global producer of large and premiumquality diamonds from alluvial and kimberlite sources, 2019 diamond sales to date from the two mines operated by Lucapa (on a 100% basis) now total US$35.5 million (A$50.2 million) at an average price of US$1,347 (A$1,905) per
carat.
According to Lucara, this top white 240
carat gem diamond was mined from the M/PK(S) unit within the South Lobe, providing continuing confirmation that large, high quality gem diamonds are recovered throughout the kimberlite, in all lobes and phases on a regular basis.
14k white-gold and diamond ring, featuring a 3.56
carat (old mine cut, circa 1880s) diamond (J color/Si3 clarity) center stone and a custom semi-mount that features a 1.41
carat of round diamond melee and 1
carat of round brilliant-cut diamonds; approximate diamond weight is 6.00
carats, $72,000
Currently, there are three main projects to increase diamonds production in the medium term: The Tchiuzo, valued at just over 200 million dollars and will guarantee an annual production of 2.5 million
carats, the Luaxe, estimated at billion dollars with an annual production of about 10 million
carats and Kimangue, which will allow to have greater knowledge about the existence of diamond resources in Angola for the subsequent production.
Only five "perfect" diamonds over 100
carats have sold at auction in the last 25 years, with a 118-carat oval-cut stone fetching $30.6 million at Sotheby's in 2013.
A profusion of flower and inseat-inspired bibelots in a rainbow array of gemstones juxtaposed with diamonds adorns the display cases at Shrode, among them a multicolored sapphire dragonfly pin in 18K gold with .88
carats of diamonds ($4,250).
The find comes months after a 29.6-carat blue diamond from the mine was sold for 14m [pounds sterling], or 508,000 per
carat [pounds sterling].
The company now anticipates uncovering 100
carats of diamonds for every million tons processed at the site, and that around 12% of the
carats will be diamonds over nine
carats.
A larger stone will have a much higher value per
carat. A stone reduced to half of its size may only be worth a small fraction of the original stone.